The Day Before Christmas Eve
by cavlik97
Summary: Christmas for Mikita a year after Division and Oversight is taken down holds a surprise for Nikita from more than one person... Mikita fluffiness! One shot, maybe two shot. Much better than it sounds! My first Xmas fic! :P
1. A Visitor On The 23rd

**A/N: Hellooo Mikita shippers! :) After the thrilling response of "The Little Leather Notebook", I was prompted to write another Mikita oneshot. I know it's a late but this is a Christmas fic. I'm thinking that maybe I could make it a two-three shot? Anyway, it takes place a year after Division and Oversight are taken down but everything's explained in the fic itself:) **

**I hope you like it! And I hope it helps tie us over for another week...grrr, biting my nails in anticipation for Feb 3****rd****!**

**DISCLAIMER: No. I don't own them. If I did, Mikita would be together again. :'(**

Nikita shut the door behind her, relaxing as the warmth of the inside of her apartment greeted her. She discarded her jacket, boots, hat, gloves, and another sweater underneath before hurrying into the living room. The hallway brought a draft of cold air past her and she shivered, smiling when she saw her boyfriend, Michael, sitting on the couch, eating a bowl of popcorn as he watched the Lakers game. She rolled her eyes, flopping down beside him. 'Hey,' she said.

'Hey,' replied Michael, turning to smile at her. He pressed a soft kiss against her forehead as she snuggled up beside him, listening to the fire crackle below the television and stealing a handful of popcorn. Michael edged his arm around her. 'Your skin's freezing cold, what's the temperature outside?' he said in surprise, turning to squint out the window.

'Beats me but I'm staying in here until it stops snowing,' Nikita muttered decidedly. Michael grinned at her statement, giving her a quick squeeze before returning his attention to the game. They were interrupted only minutes later by a knock on the front door.

'Bags not,' said Nikita immediately, her face splitting into a smirk at Michael's dejected face.

'_Fine_,' he said, pushing the popcorn into her lap and getting to his feet, cussing as the cooler air of the hallway hit him. 'We're getting a heat pump for this hallway!' he announced, swearing again. Nikita laughed. She placed the popcorn on the table in front of her, reaching to the couch on her left to wrap herself in a blanket. A Christmas tree stood, sparkling and lit in the bottom left corner of the room. Underneath it were about a dozen, neatly wrapped presents. The entire room was decorated with mistletoe, holly and various assortments of Christmas festivities. It was the 23rd of December...it would be Nikita and Michael's first Christmas in years that they actually got to celebrate together without having to think of Division, Oversight, missions, black boxes or anything remotely fighting related.

–**(*)– **

It had been a year since they'd taken down Division and Oversight. For the first six months, things had been a bit hectic...

Well. A bit was an understatement. _Very _hectic. Obviously, as soon as Percy was killed, the black boxes uploaded themselves but Nikita, Michael, Alex and Birkhoff got to the White House first while Sean, Owen and Ryan convinced all the recruits and agents which side was correct before all hell broke loose. Governments were immediately taking stabs at the U.S. so all Nikita could think of was tell their side of the story to the press. So for two weeks, all any news channel broadcasted was the story of every single recruit, agent, rogue or techy who had helped bring down the leaders of Division and Oversight. By that time, Madeline Pierce had become Nikita and the gang's mole inside of Oversight, thanks to Sean, who had joined their side shortly after they'd caught him making an attempt to kill them. It took a while, but when civilians and members of the public began to recognise their friends and family among the storytellers, whom they had thought to be dead, the stories began to make more and more sense and it was announced to be the truth. Amanda and the remaining three members of Oversight were put in high security prisons in which it was impossible to escape from. The recruits and agents...anyone who had been loyal to Division before Sean, Owen and Ryan's convincing, all were sent to a special facility for a couple of months, just to ensure they were no longer loyal to Division and to help them get their lives on track. Families had been reunited, truth had been shared and finally..._finally_, justice had been served.

Michael had met his parents, brother, sister, niece _and _nephew after being on television. He'd been over the moon to have his family back and he saw them whenever he could...although, he always made one thing clear. Nikita was his number one. _Always. _

Cassandra and Max had moved to Manhattan, which was where Michael and Nikita decided to buy an apartment, just so that Michael could see Max without having to choose his priorities.

Alex and Sean also got together after months of dancing close to the line of no return...they finally crossed it and moved in together. For them, being a couple was so natural, it's like they'd been together for years. Nikita was endlessly telling Alex _'I told you so.' _

Owen, Ryan and Birkhoff all bought separate but equally expensive apartments, also in the same city. Ryan was reinstated to a much higher position in the CIA and Birkhoff was recruited as well, seeing as he was the best techy in the country. Owen got any money he needed from Birkhoff for a while but then also figured, _'hey, what the hell, CIA seems fun' _or something along those lines and ended up going for a job there as well. He and Ryan became partners and they were two of the best agents you would find anywhere.

With the CIA and the FBI's help, Alex was able to disband and imprison all members of Gogol, as well as sending Semak to his prison for the rest of his life, get her mother the help she needed and take Zetrov. Chaos erupted in Russia for a while but soon, the country learnt to sustain itself without Semak's dirty dealings. However, after a couple of months of having Zetrov under her control, Alex realised she didn't want to follow in her father's footsteps and sold the company to one of her lifelong friends who still lived in Russia, who ran it well with full capability.

Nikita and Michael didn't need a job...although every single line of work that involved serving the country had infinite offers stacked higher than the Chrysler Building, hoping either one of them...ideally both, would take an offer. The same deal was on Sean and Alex but they'd all agreed that if they was going to work _anywhere _with _anyone_, it would be with the team that had helped take down Division and Oversight.

(That was, by the way, Alex, Sean, Michael, Nikita, Ryan, Owen and Birkhoff.) Ryan said there was always somewhere for them at the CIA but Nikita said she'd consider it when she felt liking kicking ass again.

So now, just over a year after the raging hell ended, Nikita was doing what she never thought she would ever do in her life. Sit on the couch on the day before Christmas Eve, watching a basketball match in front of a spitting fire, eating popcorn and pizza with her boyfriend.

Life's a surprising thing.

–**(*)– **

'Uh...Nikita?' Michael called, sounding confused. 'It's for you!'

'Who is it?' Nikita asked, really not wanting to get up from the couch.

'He says you'll know who he is when you see him!'

Nikita inwardly groaned. She swung her legs off the couch, getting to her feet and trudging down the hallway, also cursing at the cool draft that pierced her uncovered skin. If this visit was Owen and Sean playing a prank, she was going to _kill _them...

She stopped, frozen when she saw the man at the door. He was older. A lot older than she remembered from the dreams she'd been getting the last four months. But it was him. He had the necklace on...she could see the chain around his pale neck...the same chain that hung around hers. The chain her mother had given her. He saw her face and she noticed his eyes, a shimmering, emerald green, light up. He wordlessly handed her a photograph and she took it, relieved that she wasn't trembling and saw the one memory that had never left her, now on paper.

'H...how?' she asked, looking back at him.

'I saw you on the news,' he said in explanation. 'You look exactly like her, you know.'

Michael had his nose wrinkled in confusion and he looked between the two people, silently begging for someone to help him out of his blankness of the situation.

'Go watch the rest of the game,' Nikita said, smiling at his bewildered face. 'I'll explain later, promise.'

Michael saw a familiar look in her eyes, a look that said _trust me_ and with no chance of this man being someone who would whip out a gun and shoot her, he did just that and gave her a gentle kiss on the head before heading back to the living room. Nikita couldn't hide her smile as he hissed a quiet cuss as he shifted through the hallway.

'I never thought I'd see you again,' said the man in the doorway. Nikita turned the photograph, seeing three names scribbled on the back.

_Yen, Steven and Nikita. _

Nikita recognised herself as only aged two or two and a half at the time.

'Is he your husband?' asked Steven, nodding his head towards Michael's direction. Nikita shook her head. 'No,' she said with a small smile. 'Just boyfriend.' She glanced up at the man before her. 'What happened?' she asked quietly.

'I ended up posted in that area of Vietnam for three years,' Steven said, stepping into the house and closing the door behind him. 'Military man, in case you don't remember. Army. There were some large groups of protesters who were causing hell. I'd been injured at one point but we were too far from out camp to go back, especially with the protesters blocking our way. Your mom helped me out. I tried to make any excuse to cover that part of the area just to see her again.'

'And you did,' Nikita said. 'And had me.'

Steven chuckled. 'Yeah. God, it was insane that I'd managed to get what I'd always wanted while being in a warzone. I had a family but...just after you turned two, I received word from my chief that the protesters had surrendered and we were going home.'

'Why didn't you stay?' demanded Nikita.

Steven sighed, leaning against the wall. 'My uh...my brother had just been in a car accident and was in a coma. He was brain dead. They were planning on switching off the life support and I had to take care of his little boy. I wanted to stay. I told your mom that I'd send her money, I'd visit, anything she needed to take care of you but she told me that I would never see her again and that I had to take you with me.'

Nikita's brow furrowed in confusion.

'I kept trying to find out what was going on,' said Steven in assurance. 'And in the last week before I left, I stole my mate's camera and we took some photos, just so both you and me had something to remember her by. Before I left for the last time, taking you, I saw her give you the necklace I'd given her. I wore its twin. Then, she gave you up to me.'

Nikita was trying incredibly hard to keep her tears inside.

'I smuggled you back to America and manage to legalize your situation here. I had you for a while but my mother had remarried. My family was extremely wealthy and mother and her new husband were all not happy about me having a relationship with an apparent 'peasant' while I was supposed to be serving my country.'

Nikita's hand curled into a tight fist as her arm lay limply by her side.

'I was furious,' Steven admitted. 'But I had nowhere else to stay. My money was being used to look after you and Cameron and my mother was letting me live with her. And then...one morning...I woke up and you were gone.'

'_What_?' Nikita gasped. 'Somebody had _taken me_?'

Steven nodded, running his fingers through his brown hair that was tinted with specks of gray. 'My mother or my stepfather. They'd taken you and given you away. Neither spoke of it but my mother pulled me aside once saying that it was the best thing for you and that I should accept it seeing as they'd been so hospitable.'

'That's a threat!' Nikita began. Steven held up his hands to stop her. 'Yeah, I know. That was a threat. She would kick me and Cameron out if I raised a police investigation. I figured, you had to be at an adoption agency or something so I'd get you back when I managed to move out of the house. I had no idea you'd been put into the system.' He sighed. 'Years later, my stepfather approached me with an article about a young, Vietnamese-American teenager who had been put on death row for killing someone.'

'That _was _me,' Nikita confessed quietly. 'But you would never have found out that my death had been faked and I was sent to Division. Well...until now.'

'I'd got a job as a children's legal advisor about three years after I lost you to the system,' said Steven. 'I moved out of my mother's house and bought my own while I looked after Cameron. After graduating High School, he'd become an incredible swimmer but due to an temporary injury, he'd come home. We were following the Division and Oversight story on the news. When you came up...you looked so much like your mother...' He shook his head with a small smile. 'Cameron recognised you actually. I have those pictures of you and your mother around the house with all the other photographs. Cameron saw you and called me. I knew who you were immediately but it look me a long time to track you down.'

'There was a lot of controversy over the truth of the whole matter,' said Nikita. She breathed out deeply, feeling slightly faint. 'I...I can't believe this is happening...' She glanced up at Steven again. 'I've been searching for _so long _for answers and now I can finally get them. Did you know Division planted someone to pretend to be my father so as to get information?'

'That's low,' Steven said, whistling quietly.. 'Hey, um...do you want to have breakfast tomorrow? I can explain some more...you could meet Cameron...I could give you some photos...?'

'Yeah, that would be great,' Nikita said. 'Eight o clock? There's a Starbucks down the road?'

'Sounds good,' Steven said. He gazed at her. 'My mother's going to have a heart attack when I tell her about you.'

Nikita laughed. 'I'm guessing that's a good thing?'

Steven hesitated before giving her a quick hug. Nikita buried her head in the chest pocket of the old jacket that he had also been wearing in the photo. It smelt of things that had lingered in her mind for years. The smell of ash, cigarette smoke, dust, cologne...

'See you tomorrow,' Steven said, giving her a warm smile before slipping out the door which banged shut behind him. Nikita watched the mahogany coloured wood that stared back at her for a moment. Then, she wrapped her arms around her middle and with a grin on her delicate features, headed back to the comfort of the fireplace.

–**(*)– **

'Hey, what was that all about?' Michael asked, pulling Nikita down to the couch and muting the television. Nikita bit her lip to try and hide the enormous smile on her face. 'That was my dad,' she whispered. Michael's eyes widened. He sat up, turning to face her properly. He opened his mouth and then closed it, repeating that several times before he finally spoke.

'Your _real _father?' he said incredulously. 'Not a fake...'

'My real father,' Nikita echoed. 'He gave me this.' She handed him the photograph. Michael glanced at it quickly before his eyes flickered back to Nikita.

'I'm meeting him for breakfast tomorrow,' she continued. Her face broke into a smile. 'I can't believe I've finally found him.'

'Technically, he found you,' Michael began but at Nikita's jab to the stomach, fell quiet on the subject. 'Aw, but this means I won't see you till the evening,' he complained with a cute, protesting look in his eyes. 'You're having breakfast with your dad, lunch with Alex and then you two are going last minute Christmas shopping and then I spend the afternoon with Max so I don't get to see you until dinner!'

Nikita rolled her eyes, leaning into his chest. 'Well, it's not Christmas day.'

'Actually, Christmas Eve is more celebrated than Christmas day itself,' said Michael. Nikita sat up, locking eyes with his, amazement shining in her brown-hazel orbs. 'Where the hell did you even _learn _that?' she asked with a laugh. Michael grinned. His smile disappeared though and his eyes turned sympathetic. 'Do you think your mother's still alive?'

Nikita shrugged, gazing down at the dark red material on the couch. 'I...I dunno. He said he never found out what happened to her after he left...' She swallowed back the lump in her throat.

Michael brought a gentle hand up to her cheek. 'You'll always have my crazy, eccentric mother, don't forget that.'

Nikita managed to laugh, letting Michael wrap his arms around her. They sat in silence, apart from the television, which Michael had un-muted to distract his girlfriend from the pressing matter of her mother. Suddenly, he reached down to retrieve something from under the couch.

'Michael, what're you doing?' Nikita asked, pulling her legs up to the couch and crossing them. Michael faced her again. 'I know it's not even Christmas Eve yet,' he started to say but Nikita's eyes lit up like the Christmas tree behind her. Michael laughed at her face, 'but in order to get your mind of things, I'm thinking of one present to give you, now.'

Nikita's eyes were twinkling with anticipation...Michael had known since the first time he met Nikita how much she _loved _Christmas presents. Behind his back, he easily flipped open the little box and ordered the woman in front of him to close her eyes. With a smiling, suspicious look on her face, she did as she was told. Michael took one of her hands and gently placed the box in her palm. Her eyes shot open and whisked down to her right hand that was lying in her lap, a dark blue ring box in it with a shining, beautiful ring staring back at her.

Nikita's eyes widened and her mouth dropped into a small _o_. She tried to say something but no words came out.

'At least say yes or no,' teased Michael but his words were soft. He knew that Daniel had proposed before he'd been killed and that Nikita had said yes. It was that simple reason that had Michael tossing and turning over the decision for weeks. Nikita's silence wasn't helping his nerves much.

'Michael...' she said, looking up at him. At first...the almost regretful tone in her voice but his heart drop into his stomach but the minute he met her eyes, he could see the answer to his unsaid question.

She began to say _yes _but Michael had already cut her off by kissing her.

She smiled into the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck and weaving her hands into his silky, dark brown hair. She broke the kiss first, resting her forehead against his and gazing into his loving eyes. 'Best Christmas present _ever_,' she breathed.

'Second best,' Michael corrected, holding up the photo between his thumb and index finger. Nikita stole a second kiss, taking the photo from his fingers. 'No,' she contradicted. 'The best.'

Michael slid the ring onto her left hand. 'Merry Christmas, Nikita.'

–**(*)– **

**A/N: What do you think? Should I continue? You know what to do, read and review!**


	2. Early Starts On The 24th

**A/N: OMG. You guys like it. You guys reviewed. You favourited. ILOVEYOUALL. So, as asked for: chapter two. **

**By the way, I did consider a Mikita pregnancy but I thought, whoa, that's a bit too much for one story, maybe I'll do that in something else(: Or maybe I'll just make this a multi-chapter fic and a pregnancy will turn up down the road. Who knows...? ;) But honestly , I'm still deciding whether to have it or not so, if wanted, just say so.**

**That's enough about pregnant Nikita. :D**

**DISCLAIMER: No...I don't own Nikita, or its characters. Otherwise, today would be Friday the 3****rd****...**

Nikita woke to the shrill ring of her alarm clock on the side of the bed the next morning. She'd set in the night before for one simple reason: she was _not _an early riser. She _had _asked Alex to text her ten minutes after her alarm was set...just in case she didn't get up. There was no way in hell Nikita was going to miss today's breakfast. Her arm instinctively slammed her hand down on the stop button. As she reluctantly opened her eyes, she glanced over to her left, smiling at Michael's still, peacefully asleep face. He was a deep sleeper. It was cute. She carefully leaned over and brushed away the loose hair that was covering his eye. He stirred in his sleep, opening one eye and groaning.

'I'm not that bad in the mornings!' protested Nikita with a smile. Michael chuckled. 'No...it's just...what time is it?'

'Six,' announced Nikita. Michael cursed loudly, his head disappearing under the covers as he yanked them up.

'It's Christmas Eve,' Nikita sang softly. Michael reappeared, now smirking. 'You know my weaknesses,' he said, half in complaint, half in appreciation, giving Nikita a quick kiss. As soon as he broke away, his eyes flickered to her left hand and the minute he saw the ring on her finger, his face broke into a grin and he kissed her again.

'Michael...' Nikita reminded, poking him in the chest. 'I have to meet my dad...'

'I know,' he said, kissing the top of her nose. 'I'm just happy.'

Nikita smiled, brushing her fingers over the stubble on his cheeks. 'So am I.' She let out a small laugh. 'How long had you planned on giving this...' She held up her ring, '...to me and asking me to marry you?'

'Honestly?' Michael said, glancing away. 'I've had the ring for over a year.'

Nikita choked on her own breath and sat up straight, turning sharply to face her fiancé. 'Over a _year_? When did you start thinking about it?'

'When I realised it wasn't safe for me to be around Max until Division was taken down,' said Michael quietly. He leaned back into the pillows, gazing up at the ceiling. 'When I came back...before Sean tried to attack us...do you remember? You asked me what would happen after we took them down. With Max. With us. What would happen next.'

Nikita nodded.

'That's when I started wondering what actually _would _happen next. I wanted to be with Max as much as I could. He's an amazing kid. But I was still in love with you, Nikita, and I didn't want to lose you because I made the wrong decision.'

'Choosing Max would never have been a _wrong _decision...' Nikita began but Michael put a finger to her lips. 'But I would've lost you.' It was a statement. Not a guess or a question. Because both of them knew it was true.

'I realised that Cassandra wanted me to see Max as much as I did,' said Michael. 'That's why she was okay with everything. So...why wouldn't she move to wherever I lived if it was safe for her and Max once everything was over? I mean – she wanted a proper life as much as we did. I asked her about it. She told me that _finally _I was starting to get my priorities straight. Max would be able to visit me whenever either of us wanted but I had to sort out things with you.'

'That's when you stayed with us,' Nikita said.

'That when I stayed with you,' echoed Michael. 'As you know, we slowly started to figure things out between us. I bought the ring just after I decided to stay. I guess...it helped me remember that there was going to be a future for us when all of this eventually ended.'

Nikita smiled, kissing him softly. 'I love you. Now stop distracting me or I'm going to be late!'

–**(*)– **

Nikita gazed at her reflection in the kitchen counter. It was seven o clock and she was already freaking out. Why was she freaking out? How the hell had she managed to stay calm during being in the line of gunfire, yet somehow get insanely nervous when meeting her father for breakfast?

'Calm down,' came Michael's voice from behind and he kissed her neck lightly before sweeping by her to reach the pot of coffee. 'Everything will be fine and I'll get to say I told you so as many times as you did to Alex when she and Sean got together.'

'I'm still saying that to her...' Nikita pointed out.

'Then I will keep saying it until you stop.'

Nikita rolled her eyes, turning to face him. 'What're you doing for the morning?' she asked.

'Missing you,' pouted Michael, pulling the puppy dog eyes. Nikita kicked his foot gently, squealing as he wrapped his arm around her waist and lifted her up over his shoulder.

'You realise I can dislocate your shoulder and have you on the floor in seconds,' said Nikita menacingly.

'You won't,' said Michael simply, 'and _hey_! I taught you that move!'

He put her down, taking her face in his hands. 'Everything will be fine at breakfast,' he promised. 'Your dad seems like a great guy and if he raised this Cameron cousin of yours, he should be pretty cool too. Just...pretend your walking into a peace conference with Division... uh, wait, no...not a good example...'

Nikita laughed, resting her head on his chest. 'Michael, your pep talk skills have severely diminished since you no longer had a use for them...'

'Ah, I can use them on Max when he goes to play for football games,' decided Michael. 'He's trying out for a team in the new season.'

'He'll be great,' Nikita said, smiling at the memory of Owen teaching Max how to shove someone so hard, they wouldn't get up again for another five minutes...long enough to get a touchdown. She glanced up at the clock again. Quarter past. Okay...so she had a while before she could start freaking out again. She saw Michael looking her way from behind the counter, where he'd returned to have his coffee.

'What...?' she asked slowly and suspiciously.

'Nothing,' Michael said. At her very unconvinced look, he chuckled. 'I'm just admiring how astonishing beautiful you are.'

'Oh, stop it,' Nikita muttered, her cheeks growing red.

'And how lucky I am to be engaged to you...' Michael continued. Nikita shot him a warning glare, her cheeks tinted with the unusual blush that occasionally appeared. She was saved my her phone ringing out on the table. She spun round, grabbing it and pressing the cool plastic to her ear. 'Nikita.'

'Okay, why did you need the six ten text?' came Alex's voice demandingly.

'Hi, Merry Christmas Eve, Alex, how are you?' Nikita said sarcastically.

'Nik_ita_!' Alex whined. 'Come on! You can't just tell me to do things without saying why!'

'Don't worry, I'll tell you at lunch,' promised Nikita. There was a momentary silence until Alex finally agreed.

'Anything else interesting happening?' she asked. Nikita glanced down at the ring, smiling. 'Nothing _really _interesting, you know. Just...I'm now, officially engaged...'

She had to hold the phone far from her ear to prevent deafness from Alex's excited shriek.

'Oh my God!Oh my God!Oh my God!Oh my God! You're getting married! You and Michael are getting married! Oh my _God_! Nikita! You're getting married!'

'I think we established that,' said Nikita, laughing. 'Have you managed to infer that you're the maid of honour?'

Another...stunned silence.

'Alex, if you scream again, I am ending this call,' warned Nikita.

'I'm not going to scream again,' said Alex but Nikita could hear the excitement in her voice.

'We are going dress shopping at lunch,' announced Alex and before Nikita could even _begin _in to protest, the call went dead. She tossed the phone onto the couch, looking back over her shoulder at Michael. 'Well – she's thrilled.'

'And she'll tell Sean,' figured Michael. 'So then, I have to tell Birkhoff. And he'll tell Owen and Ryan. Looks like things are working, announcing wise.'

Nikita's face softened. 'Is Birkhoff gonna be your best man?' she asked. Michael met her eyes. 'Yep,' he said with a nod. 'He's been there for us for as long as I can remember. He even tweaked the Division recordings of that one mission we did where things...' He swallowed. '...got a bit out of hand.'

'Understatement of the century, Michael,' muttered Nikita, grinning. She leaned forward over the counter, kissing him lightly on the lips. 'You're right...Birkhoff's been covering for us more times than I can count.'

'And Alex has been the most curious relationship inquisitor out of everyone,' added Michael, rolling his eyes. 'And now, you have a father to walk you down the isle.'

Nikita's eyes shot to the clock. Half past. Okay... maybe now she could restart the freak out.

–**(*)– **

**A/N: I know the chapter is shorter than the other but I honestly ran out of ideas:) Anybody got any ideas? And I really hope you like the chapter...fluffines... :P **

**Yes – there will be more fluffiness but next chapter will be the breakfast with Cameron and Steven and then the lunch with Alex ... and maybe Michael's afternoon with Max before some more Mikita fluff:) **

**:D Reviews mean the world to me so just click the little button down there... ;)**


	3. The 24th's Continuous Surprises

**A/N: I love you all. To pieces. You're amazing! AND WAS CLEAN SWEEP AMAZING OR WHAT? I was just disappointed at the lack of Salex scenes... :( Oh well, hopefully next week will make up for it! Mikita were incredibly cute! The whole, actually smiling at each other, end of episode holding hands thing, SQUEE. God, I fangirl. :) Anyway... enjoy! This is a Christmas Eve Day Chapter.**

Nikita knew who Cameron was the minute she saw him. Division had trained her like that. Think of the target. Apply attributes that made them unique. Single out features that could perhaps identify them. Check.

Cameron however, was not a target. But Nikita could still recognise him, even though she didn't have a photograph and had never seen him before.

He had Steven's eyes and lips. He was wearing layers but Nikita, by a quick scan of his body language and body itself, could tell he was an athlete. Swimmer, hadn't Steven said? He had brown, scruffy hair that evidently hadn't been done this morning and he drummed his fingers against the wooden table inside the shop as he waited, as if he usually had something to do with his fingers and in this occasion, didn't.

Nikita narrowed her eyes, noticing a slight dent in his index finger, as if his thumb had pressed something against it.

A drumstick!

Nikita chuckled to herself. So. He was a good looking, competitive swimmer who also played drums. He was probably a heartthrob, wherever he worked.

'Nikita!'

Steven's voice rang out through the already bustling street and Nikita glanced up, smiling as he hurried towards her.

He gave her another tight hug, looking sheepish as he broke away. 'I was...uh...'

'Chatting up Marissa Stead from across the street for the tenth time this week?' finished Cameron, seemingly teleporting from inside the shop to the street. 'God, Steve, just ask her out already! Wait, no don't...you're too old to date, anyway.'

'Oi, zip it, buster,' warned Steven but he said it with a twinkle in his eyes and a joking grin on his face. 'Nikita, meet Cameron.'

'Nice to meet you,' said Nikita with a smile. 'So, who's this Marissa Stead?'

'Oh, she's the lady the owns a book store across the road...' began Cameron but at Steven's groan, stopped.

'If you two are gonna gang up on me, I will not be pleased,' he muttered.

Nikita smirked. 'Cameron's right. Don't be a chicken and just ask her to dinner.'

'Ha!' Cameron said triumphantly. 'Even your own daughter agrees with me and I've been at college for the last eight months!'

Steven jabbed him in the back. 'Shut your quacking mouth and go order coffee!'

'Sir, yes sir,' teased Cameron, dodging Steven's attempt to put him in a headlock.

'He seems like a good guy,' smiled Nikita. 'How much older than me, is he?'

'About three years,' verified Steven. 'Swimming is his main focus. He's planning on getting to the Olympics but his shoulder set him back. He hurt it while training.'

'I noticed the sag in his left arm,' admitted Nikita. She frowned at Steven's suddenly distracted face. 'Are you okay?' she asked. He nodded towards her left hand. 'That,' he said slowly, 'was _not _there yesterday.'

Colour rose to Nikita's cheeks and she glanced down quickly. 'Haha...yeah. That, uh... well, yeah...it wasn't there yesterday...'

'Is that an engagement ring?' Cameron interrupted slyly, his green eyes sparkling with evident jokes up his sleeve.

'Seeing as my best friend is going to shout it to the world by tomorrow,' Nikita said with a roll of the eyes, '_yes. _It is an engagement ring.'

'Hey, congratulations!' said Steven, his face lighting up. 'When's the wedding?'

'Not a clue,' Nikita laughed. 'I only got engaged last night.'

'Are we invited?' Cameron asked in a sing song voice. Nikita laughed again but softer...sadder this time. 'Of course,' she said. She sighed. 'You're the only family I really have.'

Cameron let out a whistling breath. 'You know...me and Steve are looking into your Mom's weird acts before you guys left Vietnam.'

Nikita's head shot up. '_What_?'

'Cameron!' Steven said sharply but he did nod. '...He's right, though. I've been trying to figure out what was up with her ever since I left. I've never really gotten anywhere, though.'

'I have friends in the CIA,' Nikita spoke up. 'And I know this best hacker in the country... I think you'll definitely get somewhere with my contacts.'

The rest of the breakfast when along without talking about that subject. Cameron teased Nikita about the wedding, she told them more about Michael and then Alex, Birkhoff, Owen, Ryan and Sean. Steven (mainly Cameron, actually), complained about Steven's mother and stepfather and Nikita got the impression that they were the pompous kind the nobody liked at all. Nikita told them a watered down version of her side of the story when it came to taking down Division. When Steven heard about Nikita's time in foster care, he went pale, but he soon looked amused when he heard of how Nikita had totally kicked her foster father's ass when she dotted back onto the radar for revenge. Cameron was far past impressed...he was practically begging for lessons on how to do a roundhouse kick.

Time flew by and soon, Nikita was saying goodbye to Steven and Cameron for the time being and hailing down a cab.

Time to meet Alex...

And boy was she going to have a lot to say...

–**(*)– **

'You should've told me about your father yesterday!'

'I think you were probably still dancing around your living room about the _wedding._'

Alex blushed slightly, smiling, her ocean blue eyes twinkling. She gave an excited laugh and hugged Nikita for about the millionth time in the ten minutes they'd been in each other's company.

'Seriously, Alex, one day, you'll be the one walking down the isle and you'll explode with excitement...' Nikita said with a coy grin. Alex elbowed her in the side. 'Shut up,' she muttered, burning a bright red. 'Now come on...I forgot to get Birkhoff a present and he'll electrocute me if I don't...'

'The scary thing is, he actually has a machine in his basement,' Nikita said, winding Alex up. Alex rounded on her, eyes wide and jaw open. 'I thought he got rid of...' She saw Nikita's face and punched her best friend in the arm.'Stop teasing me!' she complained. 'Just because I've been too busy to get Christmas presents!'

'Too busy?' Nikita echoed. 'You're the one who's been sitting on your couch, eating ice cream in the middle of winter while watching reruns of How I Met Your Mother, waiting for Sean to come back from Miami where he's visiting his sister!'

Alex ignored that, pulling Nikita into the mall. 'So what's your dad like?' she asked curiously.

'He's...' Nikita couldn't even think of a word for it. '...everything I could've asked for. And Cameron is hilarious. He probably drove everyone insane when he was growing up.'

'I really wish I could meet Steven's mom and kick her ass,' muttered Alex, cocking her head as she glanced at the new iPhone on display. 'I can afford it...' she began but Nikita pulled her away. 'Birkhoff got that two months before it became available to the public. Don't bother. And about Steven's mother – she sounds like a righteous old bitch.'

'She took you from your room in the middle of the night and gave you to the system,' said Alex coolly. 'That goes _way _past an old bitch. That goes to psychopathic freako bitch.'

'No, she's just wealthy,' said Nikita with a sigh. 'Wealthy and stuck up. Put the two together, you get selfish.'

'What about this?' Alex asked, gesturing to a data decrypting programme that had been released two days ago. 'Birkhoff's been boxed up in his mansion all week. No way he's got this.'

Nikita folded her arms. 'I guess...but Alex, _Shadownet _does all the decrypting he needs for him.'

'Why did he have to invent it, now there's nothing I can get him!' Alex said under her breath. 'Wedding date?'

'Not set...' Nikita regretted saying that the minute the words left her mouth. '_No, _Alex_. _You'll set it for next month. Don't even think about it.'

'O_kay_,' Alex said with a smirk. 'Maybe I should just buy a kiddy laptop. It'll be worth it to see his face.'

Nikita chuckled. 'Go ahead.'

There was a sudden loud bang from the other side of the mall, one that brought screams and shouts Nikita and Alex's way. They recognised the bang and dove for cover. Gunshots.

'What the hell is going on?' Alex hissed.

'A robbery?' suggested Nikita, her eyes flickering to the hallway to try and see their attackers. When she finally got a good look, her heart dropped into her stomach. 'Oversight!' she growled.

'_What?_' Alex gasped. 'Are you sure?'

Nikita nodded. 'I know him. His father's in prison...one of the main members. This guy here is just a kid. I always suspected he was a part of Oversight but there was never any proof. Of course they waited this long. Lure us into a false sense of security.'

'Lucky we weren't that stupid,' Alex said with a grin. She reached inside her jacket, drawing a gun that was easily disguised.

'I taught you well,' said Nikita, doing the same thing. 'Is it just him?'

'There's three of them,' Alex said with a shake of the head. 'But they're amateurs. Bunching together. Makes things easy for us.'

'On three,' Nikita said, nodding. 'One – two – _three_!'

The two women jumped out of their cover place, more screams at the guns they drew but these weapons were aimed solely at the attackers.

'Nikita,' the leader of the trio said icily. 'Three against two. Outnumbered.'

'I've been outnumbered eight against one,' Nikita countered back sharply. 'I think I can handle you three.'

'Weapons, _down_,' Alex ordered. 'We have no problem shooting you.'

'Right here?' the leader asked with a crude laugh. 'Come on. You'd get hauled down to the station, asked dozens of questions, put in a cell for the night, put on trial... come on. You just come with us and take what you deserve.'

'What's that exactly?' taunted Nikita. Alex glanced at her uncertainly. Sure, the taunting, insulting, manipulating trick worked, but right here, there were hundreds of innocent people. Nikita was taking a massive risk.

'A bullet to the head!' the leader spat.

'That so?' came a male voice behind the trio and Nikita exchanged a triumphant grin with Alex.

Owen.

One of the trio turned, scoffing when he saw Owen. 'You're off duty,' he barked. 'You have no weapon.'

'Who said I needed one?' Owen shot back and without warning, he attacked the gunman he was talking to and the gun went flying. Nikita and Alex took the opportunity to disarm their opponents. Nikita looped her arm under the leader's firing arm and flipped him over, the gun being thrown into the air. Nikita easily caught it, wrapping her arm around its handle and giving the leader of the attackers a blunt blow to the back of the head, knocking him unconscious.

'I'm guessing no killing,' Alex guessed. Nikita nodded. 'Keep them alive.'

Alex, who had her opponent at her mercy, gun pressed against his neck, did the same as Nikita, the second attacker falling to the ground, unconscious. Owen followed in suit.

'What were you even doing here?' Alex asked, sounding amused. Owen looked sheepish. 'I uh...needed to get some last minute presents.'

'Anyone calling 911?' Nikita called to the other people in the mall. A few people raised their hands and the shoppers slowly got to their feet, chatter and gossip filling the mall corridors.

'Ryan's on his way,' Owen said, checking his phone. 'I called him saying I'd been tailing three Oversight members. I'd need CIA to get me out of police custody if I had to shoot them.'

'Well, you didn't,' Alex reminded. 'Tell me you have your badge otherwise me 'n Nikita are going to have to go with the police...'

'I have my badge,' Owen assured. 'You guys can go. I'll tell Ryan and the police you were here. They know you were part of the fight against Division. You'll be fine.'

'Thanks, Owen,' Nikita said gratefully, giving him a hug. 'See you tomorrow!'

'I'll be there,' Owen said with a smile. 'Later, Alex.'

'See ya,' Alex called back. As she and Nikita hurried back down the footpath, she suddenly swore angrily. 'Aw crap! I never got to get Birkhoff a present! Freaking Oversight.'

–**(*)– **

Michael almost passed out when he heard that Oversight had attacked Nikita and Alex in a mall. He pulled the two of them aside into the hallway, away from where Max was watching TV in the living room. Slowly, the girls went over everything that had happened, explaining into great detail the appearance and the movements of the three Oversight gunmen.

'I know the leader,' Michael said with a nod. 'Nikita, you're right...he was one of the children of a main member. Why would they wait this long before attacking? Why _are _they even attacking?'

'Revenge?' Alex suggested. 'It fuels most kill desires.'

'Hopefully not a distraction to get their parents out,' said Nikita through her teeth.

'I will personally shoot any Oversight member who escapes,' came an announcement as the front door banged shut.

'Birkhoff!' Michael, Nikita and Alex chorused in surprise.

'Heya domestics,' Birkhoff said with a smirk. 'Nice takeout at the mall, you two...' He nodded to Nikita and Alex. 'Owen showed me the video footage.'

'If we're going to have to start taking down people again...' Alex began but Birkhoff shook his head. 'We're not. Well. Not for long. CIA's looked into it. Our three gunmen weren't even acting on parents' orders. There's a group of people still in support of Oversight who were helping them with their coverups back in the day of Division and such. They're gonna start rebelling pretty soon, we reckon. Me, Owen, Ryan and a few others are set to shut them down and send them to prison but...' He looked around at his friends. '...we figured that the best group to put them away was the old gang. So. What do you say?'

Alex groaned, leaning against the wall. 'It's Christmas Eve Birkhoff. Is _this _your present to us?'

'It can be your present to me,' Birkhoff replied, 'and _yes_ I know you haven't got me a present yet. The mall security tapes have sound.'

'Okay, I'm in, then,' Alex said immediately. She turned to Michael and Nikita. 'Come on, you guys. It's not going to be the same without you.'

'Is that supposed to be a compliment?' Michael muttered but he still glanced at Nikita. 'Well?' he asked. Nikita let out a sigh. 'I guess so...'

Birkhoff quietly muttered '_yes!_' under his breath. 'I owe you guys one,' he said, making a move to leave but Alex's words stopped him.

'Sweet, if you owe them one, that means you have to be Michael's best man!'

Birkhoff stopped dead, turning to face Michael and Nikita, eyebrows raised. 'You're getting married?' He ran his fingers through his hair. 'Good God, it's about _time_!'

–**(*)– **

**A/N: Ah, Birkhoff... I know I said there would be fluff but I went on a roll with something I wasn't expecting... the fighting stuff will be gone in a few chapters and THERE WILL BE CHRISTMAS FLUFF. I PROMISE. :) **

**So you know what to do, read and review! **


	4. Emotional Talks Early on the 25th

**A/N: Okay. I know. I've been more than absent. Feel free to rage at me in reviews. I deserve it. It's been a chocablock term so many things are piling up ... I'm in a very depressing mood to be honest. But you don't want to hear my complaining. **

**Here is a Christmas Day early morning...with lots of Nikita fluff..**

**P.S. I found out my favourite ever teacher, my music teacher is leaving next term so I'm in quite an angsty mood. Just saying. In case there's a point where this is a sad chapter.**

**DISCLAIMER. Uh... haha...yeah, I wish. If I **_**did **_**own Nikita, the amazing Mikita filled episode that shall be 2x19 would already be here. **

Curled up in bed, the covers tucked up to her chin, Nikita smiled to herself as Michael wrapped his arm around her, pulling her into his chest. Nikita could feel the scruff of his stubble against her cheek. His body was warm and comforting. Although the attack in the mall had been barely anything, the shocking reality that everything really wasn't completely over had shaken her a bit. She wouldn't let that on to Michael but inside, her stomach was flipping and a familiar, aching feeling of fear had replaced the sense of security inside her.

'You're quiet,' Michael noticed, lightly kissing her forehead.

'I'm just tired,' lied Nikita.

'Get some sleep,' ordered Michael. 'Tomorrow's Christmas...you've got to be able to keep your eyes open.'

'Michael?' Nikita asked quietly.

'Mm?'

'I'm scared.'

Michael stiffened slightly before propping himself up with his elbow. 'I know,' he admitted. He trailed feather light fingers over her left arm before carefully tucking loose hair away from her face and behind her ear.

'I am too,' he said finally. 'This mission –' He scoffed at his own words. '– God, it's not even a _mission_. The useless fight will be over before we know it. This is going to be the last we'll ever have to deal with any of this. I promise you.'

'You can't promise that,' muttered Nikita.

'I'm not promising that nothing about Division and Oversight will ever come up again,' said Michael. 'I'm promising that it will not ruin our lives like it used to.'

Nikita let out a deep sigh, burying her face in the crook of Michael's neck and snuggling closer to him before allowing her eyes to flutter to a close as she drifted to sleep.

She woke with a start, not really knowing why but her eyes shot open, greeted by pitch blackness. Nikita gently prodded Michael in the chest and his hold on her loosened so she could lean over to see the clock.

_13:07 _

Nikita let out an excited squeal, reverting back to the Division days Nikita, who would suddenly turn cheery the moment she found out it was Christmas.

'Michael!' she whispered excitedly. 'Wake up! It's Christmas!' She swung her legs out of bed, shivering for a moment. She grabbed one of Michael's sweatshirts that was slung over a chair and she pulled it on, only to be stopped from leaving the bed by Michael's arm wrapped around her stomach.

'Mrgh..._no_,' he mumbled. 'Stay in bed. It's cold...and it's...' He opened one groggy eye. 'Oh my _God_, Nik, it's one in the morning!'

'Exactly!' Nikita smiled. 'It's Christmas! Get up!'

'_No..._' Michael muttered, pulling the covers over his head and kicking her hip with his knee.

'Don't get sulky,' chastised Nikita. 'I'll be opening presents!'

Michael didn't reply and Nikita assumed he had gone back to sleep so she slunk out of the room, making her way to the living room, quickly starting the fire and dropping to her knees by the tree.

'_Wait_!' Michael shouted suddenly, skidding into the room. 'Don't open them yet...' He was breathless and his teeth were chattering, lips trembling. Nikita sat up straight, her eyebrows creasing. 'Why?' she asked. 'Are you okay? You look freezing!'

'I am!' Michael said with a scowl. 'Shove over, the fire's burning...'

Confused, Nikita shifted over the carpet to be joined by Michael beside her, who leaned against one of the armchairs, pulling Nikita into his arms.

'So...why can't I open the presents?' questioned Nikita softly, her voice becoming slightly thick with sleep again.

'Because I have something I want you to open with me here.'

'Michael. You've already made me the happiest woman alive.' Nikita wiggled her left hand's fingers. 'Remember? What else could you possibly give me that I would want?'

Michael kissed her exposed shoulder lightly. 'I called Birkhoff and Ryan. They did some digging for me.' He nodded towards a flat-ish, brown paper envelope under the tree. Nikita bent forwards, tossing it back towards Michael. 'What is it?' she pried.

'Open it.'

Nikita's face held a wide smile and she ripped the envelope open, snatching the papers inside it. She blinked to be able to read the words on it, her stomach suddenly clenching at the first words she saw.

Her mother's name.

'Michael...' Nikita croaked, her chest suddenly becoming tight.

'It's not in a very Christmas-y spirit,' said Michael ruefully, 'but I knew that now that you had heard what happened to her, you wanted some answers. This is as much as I could get but I was hoping it was enough for you, Steven and Cameron to work out a bit of what happened...'

Nikita grabbed his face, kissing him fiercely, simply melting into his arms. 'You're too good to me...' she murmured against his lips. 'Thank you. So much.'

'It's my job to spoil you completely,' insisted Michael, taking her face in his hands. 'You deserve it, Nikita. After everything you've been through and lived through...' He cleared his throat. '...everything you've sacrificed for this war against Division. You've done more than any of us to win. You should have a better life and I'm going to do everything to give that to you.'

Nikita ran her thumb over the coarse outlines of his cheek. 'It's Christmas,' she reminded softly. Michael kissed the top of her nose, his heart fluttering at her giggle.

'I know,' he assured. 'So. What present do you want to open, next?'

–**(*)– **

After opening a few more presents, the couple retired to bed to Michael's relief. He pulled the covers over their shoulders, pulling Nikita close to him and resting his chin in the crook of her neck.

'We're only gonna get like, three hours sleep,' pointed out Nikita.

'Sleep is sleep, now be quiet,' Michael said, closing his eyes and letting out a sleepy, whistling breath that made Nikita smile. She, however, couldn't sleep. Wide awake, her heart was pounding in her chest as she gazed up at the building shadows that were floating around on the ceiling. Michael's warmth beside her was comforting and she could feel his cool breath peppering her shoulders every couple of seconds. His arm was protectively slung around her stomach and she was blanketed in their heavy duvets that kept her safe from the icy sharp, cold night air. Nikita let her eyes wander around the room and they paused upon a photograph on the bedside table. Nikita and Michael were in the middle...Michael in a t-shirt and jeans, Nikita in a pretty, summer dress. Michael's arms were wrapped around her, a handsome smile gracing his features. Alex is beside Nikita, the two girls' hands clasped as they beamed. Sean had his arm around Alex's waist, his now lengthened hair falling over his forehead slightly. Birkhoff was beside Michael, smirking as he grinned at Michael and Nikita. Owen and Ryan were there too, photo bombing, laughing with water guns in their hands. Birkhoff had invited them all to one of his mansions during the first summer after the takedown.

It had been amazing.

Nikita let out a small laugh as she surveyed the picture.

'Nik...what is it?' Michael mumbled...still not fully asleep.

'Nothing,' said Nikita.

'Well, you just woke me up...' Michael growled huffily, opening one eye and kissing her shoulder lightly. 'Are we inviting anyone over for Christmas dinner tonight?'

Nikita shrugged. 'I don't know...it's our first Christmas after Division. But I think all of us deserve something resembling normalcy...'

'Well, you're forgetting that Birkhoff's invited everyone to his mansion.'

Nikita wrinkled her nose. 'Who's _everyone_?'

Michael laughed at her cautious face, rubbing his ankles against Nikita's...which were still icy. '_Everyone _clarifies as you, me, Alex, Sean, Owen, Ryan, Cassandra, Max, my family...and he texted me before after dinner saying that Steven and Cameron were welcome to show up, too.'

'Yeah – well Birkhoff certainly has the room to host everyone!' smirked Nikita. Michael didn't answer. 'Did you ever think we'd get here?' he asked. Nikita rolled her eyes. 'We're having too many emotional conversations today.' But her eyes became slightly serious and she leaned over, giving him a soft, lingering kiss. 'Yes,' she said. 'I knew we were going to get here. Because too many things...like the life we're leading now...were waiting for us.'

'And you talk to me about emotional...' teased Michael, just as a cheer erupted from out on the street and someone from down the road shouted '_Merry Christmas New York_!'

**)**(**

**A/N: Repetitive. Yeah. Boring. I think so. Not really my best work. Most definitely not. **

**Feel free, like I said, to rage for not being present lately. I. AM. SO. SORRY. **

**Please review! The rest of Christmas day is on its way! :D **


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